The South
By Barry Roche
An estimated 2,000 rail passengers travelling from Cork to Dublin and other locations had their travel plans disrupted yesterday when members of the Irish Locomotive Drivers' Association operating out of Kent Station refused to work their new roster.
Seven of the scheduled nine trains leaving Cork for Dublin or connecting with Dublin services from Tralee failed to operate with just the 2.25 p.m. and the 7.15 p.m. trains leaving.
However, according to Iarnrod Eireann's business development manager in Cork, Mr Andrew Roche, the stoppage did not cause as much confusion as earlier this year when linesmen took industrial action.
"Most people had been following developments in the media, in particular on radio, and were checking with us as to what trains were running - we had about 20 people who turned up hoping for the 7.05 this morning," Mr Roche said.
"We had a handful of others - less than five - who turned up unaware that there were any problems, but the vast majority of people were checking with us in advance - people were disappointed obviously, but they were also very understanding."
Services today are likely to be equally badly affected, with all morning trains from Cork cancelled, though the company is again confident of running the 2.25 p.m. from Cork and the 7.15 p.m. from Cork.
The 7 a.m. from Tralee will run only as far as Mallow and there will be no connecting train or bus services from there, though the company hopes the 1.48 p.m. train from Tralee to Heuston will operate normally, Mr Roche said.
Meanwhile, suburban services from Cork to Cobh were largely unaffected yesterday by the dispute, with 14 of the 16 scheduled commuter services operating. But today's suburban services to Cobh look like being seriously disrupted with all morning services cancelled and the first train expected to be the 1.20 p.m. from Kent Station in Cork.
The Midwest
By Eibhir Mulqueen
A party of 300 Munster teenage hurlers at a tournament in Northern Ireland for the weekend provided a logistical problem for Iarnrod Eireann yesterday after the rail strike curtailed services to Cork and Limerick.
Mr Jim Gallivan, business development manager at Limerick's Colbert Station, said most of the scheduled trains to and from Dublin were cancelled. Some of them depended on drivers operating a service to Limerick Junction for connections from the Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Tralee services.
Other services were cancelled because there were no ongoing services from Limerick Junction.
But the hurlers were able to make it to their homes in Cork, Limerick, Kerry and Clare, through services which ran to Limerick, Waterford and Tralee.
Mr Gallivan said he expected five trains to run to and from Dublin today, and this would probably be the pattern for the week.
The twice daily Ennis to Limerick connection is also expected to operate after disruption yesterday.
The West
By Lorna Siggins
Rail services between Galway and Dublin suffered little disruption yesterday but Iarnrod Eireann said it was unsure about the "early bird" 5.20 a.m. train from Galway today. Many travellers opted for the Bus Eireann hourly service, and the private City Link schedule between Galway, Dublin and Dublin Airport.
Rail commuters in Mayo were not so lucky, with cancellations of the 7.20 a.m. train from Westport to Dublin, and the 8.05 a.m. train from Heuston Station in Dublin to Westport yesterday. Later services were provided on the Westport-Dublin link by taking passengers by bus to Athlone train station.
Passengers intending to travel by rail today are advised to phone the freephone number, 1850 366 222, or check with the local station.